


to say goodbye

by bemynewobsession



Category: Harlots (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, domestic angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 00:37:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15718323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bemynewobsession/pseuds/bemynewobsession
Summary: Isabella rushes to comfort Charlotte after hearing of her mother's death





	to say goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a sort of short story inspired by Aron aka @captainnarraboth on tumblr. So blame him for this. This is also unbeta-ed so forgive any clunkiness or bad grammar and what not

Isabella reads about it the next morning in _The Evening Rag_. Her shock is replaced quickly by the need to see Charlotte.

 

She moves quickly to the window, in time to see Harcourt leaving in his carriage, probably for the day. She doesn’t care where he is going. She is just glad to see that he is gone.

 

She begins to leave, dressed as she is in full regalia and her wig in place when she realizes it would be better for her to not be recognized. The last times she had been to Greek Street, it had been dark and her figure hidden easily under her cloak.

 

She goes to her room to gingerly remove her wig. She moves to her closet pushing through dozens of bright colored and gaudy gowns until she finally finds a more demure one. _This was designed for a wake anyway._

 

She dresses and takes a last look at herself in the mirror. She hasn’t gone out with so little done to her hair and makeup since before she was a teen. Hopefully it would be enough that no one would recognize her.

  


She arrives in London as inconspicuously as possible, avoiding looking as many people in the eye as possible. She passes by the Court House and glances up, seeing that the notice of Magaret Wells’ hanging still flutters against the door. She feels her heart stutter in her chest.

 

She walks faster now, pushing her way through throngs of people to finally arrive at Greek Street. When she gets to the door, she raises her fist to knock and then stops. _What am I doing? They’re probably not going to just invite me in on the day they are in mourn-_ Her thoughts are interrupted by the door swinging open.

 

It’s Margaret’s lover. William North.

 

“Mr. North I-” It’s clear he doesn’t recognize her at first, but when he hears her voice his eyes widen in recognition.

 

“What’s she doin’ here? We ain’t takin’ culls today!” Isabella doesn’t know the name of the woman behind him, but she vaguely remembers seeing her the night she came to Margaret to help take actions against Lydia Quigley.

 

“Nance. This woman risked her life and status to plead on behalf of Margaret’s life.” The dark-skinned man extends his arm into the opening of the house, a silent invitation to come in.

 

Isabella met his eyes and thanked him quietly. The woman dressed as a man, Nance, just scoffed and walked back into the kitchen.

 

“Where’s-” “Charlotte’s upstairs in her room. She’s...she’s not well my Lady.” Isabella touched his arm gently in comfort.

 

“There’s no need to stand on ceremony today Mr. North. Please. Call me Isabella.” The man looked a bit uncomfortable at the request but nodded slowly.

 

Before she began her ascent up the stairs, he grasped her arm gently. “La-Isabella. I’m not sure what the connection is between you and Charlotte. But she’s my girl and I know her. She feels more for you than she realizes.”

 

Isabella recognizes that the words are both a promise and a threat. _Charlotte has feelings for you and if you hurt her, you’ll regret it._ She feels herself nod dumbly in acknowledgement.

 

She makes her way up the stairs to what she knows is Charlotte’s room. The room the two had shared just two nights ago. She knocks on it gently.

 

“I said I wanted to be left alone Pa!” Charlotte’s voice is hoarse and tired, her voice cracking slightly throughout the sentence.

 

“Charlotte. It’s me.” Silence is her only answer. Then she hears feet hit the floor and the door flings open suddenly in her face.

 

“Lady Fitz you’re..why’re you?” Isabella reaches forward and gently caresses Charlotte’s cheek. Charlotte grasps the arm Isabella has reached forward and pulls her into a hug. Isabella can feel the dress she is wearing getting wet with Charlotte’s tears against her bosom.

 

The difference in height between them wasn’t something Isabella had really noticed before, perhaps since Charlotte rarely wore anything other than heels when they were together. Isabella blew out a shaky breath and laid her head gently on Charlotte’s, caressing the soft baby hairs at the back of her neck in an attempt at comfort.

 

Isabella was unused to physical affection. Harcourt of course took every opportunity to touch and grasp at her possessively but that was distinctly unwanted touching. Charlotte Wells was the first person Isabella had ever felt comfortable with affection like this.

 

Charlotte pulled back after a moment. She used her own hand to bring Isabella’s back to their face, as if to replicate the position they had been in before, only now they barely stood a hair’s breadth away. Charlotte’s thumb rubbed against the back of Isabella’s hand as Charlotte gave her a wet smile.

 

“Sorry bout that I..uh” Charlotte’s voice was shaky. She was barely able to speak through what Isabella could tell was her grief. Isabella shushed her gently and leaned forward to kiss the top of her forehead. Charlotte choked on her sobs.  

“I understand my darling. You can cry all you like.” Charlotte hiccuped a laugh at that. She grasped Isabella’s hand and interlaced their fingers. Charlotte closed the door and led Isabella to the bed slowly before sitting down at the edge, their hands still intertwined between them.

 

Isabella was desperate to reach out and touch Charlotte or say something, but she really didn’t know what. She could lie and put up beautiful pretenses through hundreds of dinner parties yet in this moment she hadn’t the slightest idea how to comfort this poor girl who had just unjustly lost her mother. And so suddenly at that. She stared at their clasped hands while the silence lingered.

 

“You look different.” Charlotte’s voice broke through the silence. She was watching Isabella’s face, like she was studying her.

 

“Your hair it’s-” Isabella had almost forgotten how she looked right now, her natural dark curls were drawn into a low ponytail.

 

“Oh. Yes. I thought it best to not draw attention to myself in London today.” Charlotte nodded slowly in agreement but continued to study the older woman. Isabella could feel her face flush slightly as Charlotte unclasped their hands and reached forward, gently pulling the hair tie down from its position in Isabella’s hair.

 

“A few nights ago when we...I never got get a good look at your hair since it was nighttime and all.” Charlotte leaned closer and combed her fingers through Isabella’s curls. Isabella fought back the arousal that was simmering inside of her. _She doesn’t need to be fucked right now Isabella, she just wants comfort._

 

“It’s darker than I realized. Can I brush it?” Isabella looked up at Charlotte, a bit taken aback by the request. It must have reflected in her eyes because Charlotte withdrew her hand suddenly. “I mean you don’t have to let me if you don’t want to I just thought.” The poor girl was so emotional right now Isabella could see more tears forming in her eyes at what she thought was rejection.

 

Isabella laid her hand on Charlotte’s and rubbed her thumb against the back of it. “No it’s alright my love. Do whatever you want with it.” Charlotte smiled back at her and leaned forward, pecking Isabella’s cheek, making Isabella jump slightly, before going to her nightstand to grab her hairbrush.

 

“I just love a woman’s natural hair you know?” Charlotte combed her fingers through Isabella’s hair again before replacing her fingers with the brush. Isabella smiled softly at the domesticity of the moment.

 

“So many women in London are always wearin’ those huge wigs and goin’ to all those parties. Why can’t a girl just let her hair down every once in awhile.” Charlotte continued to gently brush through Isabella’s dark hair in silence for a few minutes. Isabella noticed her set the brush to the side after a bit and felt her soft hands raking through her locks again. “Isabella? You mind if I braid it?”

 

Isabella laughed out loud at that. “What’s so funny?” Charlotte sounded almost indignant at Isabella’s laughter. Isabella turned to face her and Charlotte was indeed pouting slightly. “Charlotte my hair hasn’t been in braids since I was a little girl.” Charlotte scoffed. “Well all the more reason to do it now then eh?” Isabella just laughed again and nodded, turning back around to let her touch her hair again.

 

She could feel Charlotte gathering the strands and she gasped at the feeling of soft hands brushing the back of her neck. She felt as Charlotte began to weave the strands together, making her way down Isabella’s hair when she suddenly stopped. Isabella could hear her sniffling softly.

 

“Charlotte what is it love?” She turned to face the girl and pulled herself further on the bed. Charlotte looked was looking down at her hands.

 

“It’s gonna be like this for the rest of my life isn’t it?”

 

Isabella scooted closer to brush Charlotte’s hair away from her face. “Anythin’ I do. Everythin’ I say. When I look at Jacob. When I look at Pa. When I look at Lucy.” Charlotte’s voice broke whenever she said her sister’s name. Isabella remembered suddenly Charlotte’s sister was still with that murderer Lord Fallon.

 

Charlotte looked up at Isabella then, tears slowly streamed down her face. “Nothing I do can distract me from thinkin’ about Ma.”

 

Isabella didn’t know how to respond. She pulled herself closer to Charlotte and cradled her again against her chest. Charlotte sobbed softly.

 

“How am I supposed to go on Isabella? What am I supposed to do? I don’t think I can live without her.” Isabella pulled back then and grasped Charlotte by the shoulders.

 

“Charlotte you musn’t speak like that.” Charlotte looked down at the bed dejectedly, picking at imaginary lint on the sheets. Isabella took her chin gently and forced Charlotte to look at her.

 

“Your mother died to protect you and your sister. You will go on living. You will keep going until you can’t any longer.” Charlotte looked at her with wide, watery eyes. The blueness of her eyes stood out starkly against the redness from her tears. Isabella smiled at her wryly.

 

“If anything just do keep going out of spite.” Charlotte looked at her confused for a moment. “Well Charlotte you simply must outlive Lydia Quigley.” Charlotte chuckled slightly at that. She raised a hand to wipe a tear from her eye.

“Isabella.” Charlotte had her eyes trained on her with a sudden fierce look. She leaned closer to Isabella, close enough that she could feel the heat from Charlotte’s body. “Isabella. Kiss me.”

 

Isabella was a bit surprised at the request and searched Charlotte’s eyes for any hesitation. Charlotte seemed determined to kiss her because her eyes were already trained on Isabella’s lips.

 

Isabella simply allowed herself to lean forward and melted into Charlotte. As they kissed, one of Charlotte’s hands flew to the nape of Isabella’s neck, the other to her waist to pull the older woman in closer.

 

The kiss was not the same as the lustful, sex driven kisses they had shared the night they had laid together nor was it the same tentative peck of their first kiss on the chaise after Isabella had told Charlotte her secrets.

 

It was soft and loving and Isabella poured as much emotion as she could into the soft press of their mouth. Charlotte deepened the kiss and turned her head further so she could gently lick her tongue into Isabella’s mouth.

 

Isabella’s hands were still balled up in her lap until one of Charlotte’s found one and yet again interlaced their fingers. Charlotte broke the kiss but Isabella chased forward, pressing loving kisses along Charlotte’s jaw until she reached Charlotte’s ear, which she simply pecked lovingly. Charlotte shuddered slightly at the touch.  

 

Isabella guided them gently to lay down on the bed. They were facing each other, close enough that Isabella could almost count the few small freckles on Charlotte’s face.

 

“Charlotte..” Isabella reached around and began to rub her hand up and down Charlotte’s back. Charlotte bit her lip and looked around nervously. Charlotte close her eyes and spoke in a soft whisper. “I don’t want sex right now but I want…” She opened her eyes and Isabella’s heart raced at the adoring look Charlotte was giving her.

 

“I just want to be near you. The warmth of your body. The smell of you.” Isabella understood immediately. The hand that was rubbing Charlotte’s back pulled the girl in closer until she was able to wrap her arms fully around her.

 

Isabella turned on her back slightly, letting Charlotte lay on top of her in a way. Charlotte slung one of her arms around Isabella’s shoulder and nestled her head into the nape of the older woman’s neck. Isabella continued to gently rub her back, humming a nameless tune softly.

 

After a bit, it was evident that Charlotte had fallen asleep. Isabella closed her eyes as well, reveling in the feeling of the weight of the girl atop her. She found herself drifting to sleep slowly.

 

 

 

It had been several hours since William North had let Isabella Fitzwilliam into their house to comfort Charlotte. They were still in Charlotte’s bedroom. He leaned in to press his ear on the door expecting to hear some sounds of pleasure but he was met with silence.

 

He crept the door open slowly, not really knowing what to expect. He was met with the sight of Charlotte sleeping hard held by an equally sleeping Lady Fitz. He smiled softly and closed the door quietly.

 

_‘Nor my beloved’_ He chuckled to himself. _Charlotte Wells who were you trying to fool when you said that?_

 

He walked downstairs to a drunken Nancy seated at the dining room table.

 

“That noblewoman’s still up there ain’t she? How long are they gonna go at it?” Will just smirked. “They’re not goin’ at it. Don’t think they ever were. They’re up there actually sleepin’.”

 

Nancy’s eyes widened. “Sleeping? Together?” Will nodded as he took a swig of his beer. Nancy let out a whistle. “Charlotte’s got it bad eh.”

 

Will smiled. He was so happy to see his daughter have some semblance of joy in her life.

He chuckled into his drink. “Yes she most certainly does.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me @artemisodinson on tumblr


End file.
